Will govt implement surveillance system to prevent illegal mining, asks HC

Madurai: Madras high court on Thursday sought response from the state as to whether the govt would implement a surveillance system for minor minerals, similar to that of the mining surveillance system implemented with respect to major minerals to prevent and monitor illegal mining activities.A division bench of justice G R Swaminathan and justice B Pugalendhi also sought a response from the state on the approximate cost required for implementing such a system, and the amount available in the Mineral Foundation Trust in the state.The court passed the order after taking into account the report of the counsel for the high court registry regarding the mining surveillance system, which involves the use of satellite imaging to prevent and monitor illegal mining activities.The court was hearing suo motu proceedings initiated in 2025 to prevent illegal sand mining in the Amaravathi river in Karur district. In the petition, the registrar (judicial) of the Madurai bench sought a direction to the authorities to prevent encroachments in Amaravathi riverbed. In the report filed on Jan 21, Karur district collector stated that in 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 up to Dec 2025, 191 vehicles and 31 bullock carts were seized by officials for the illicit transportation of river sand and other minerals. As many as 148 criminal cases were also registered. However, in the subsequent action taken report filed on Feb 5, the collector stated that 130 vehicles were seized and 91 cases were registered.During the previous hearing, the court directed the collector to file an explanation regarding the contradictions in his reports. Pursuant to the earlier order, the collector filed a report on Thursday.In the report, the collector stated that details about the vehicles seized and cases registered with regard to illegal mining of sand and other minerals were mentioned in the report dated Jan 21. However, the subsequent report contained details of vehicles seized and cases registered with regard to illegal sand mining activities alone, the collector clarified.